By Michael Doorley
It’s September. Season of mists and back-to-school blues. Well, those creeping mists and gathering gloom that enveloped Bray Seafront on Monday evening were instantly dispelled when we entered the candle-lit sanctuary of the Martello Arts Quarter. A different space, another continent maybe. As the ever-smiling Julie-Rose bids a warm Bray Arts Club welcome to our first guest, it unfolds. It’s Latin America.
First up is Elis Taves, a remarkable photographer from Brazil. She shared with us details of her commercial work and her many photography assignments. Elis is truly a dual citizen of both countries as she promotes Brazilian culture in Ireland and Irish culture in Brazil. She presented images from Bahia state in Brazil. The most striking images were The Doors of Bahia with its images of Portuguese inspired architectural features, faded colonial churches and associated medieval superstitions which served to place the roots of Brazilian culture firmly back to Southern Europe. The common thread running through her work was – that which we crave in Ireland – the quality of the light. Yes, let there be light! This presentation was as informative as it was engaging and thought provoking. Gracias, Elis.
Next was Sofia Arteaga from Uruguay, surrounded by the most exotic collection of instruments I have ever witnesses in one location. She bravely introduced herself through her first choice of instrument – her voice. Sofia held us spellbound as she stood there ‘sotto voce’ in what sounded like a sean-nós or perhaps a Latin lament. She entered that space to remind us of the harsh realities of life outside our cosy enclave – a pause for those less fortunate at the moment. Sofia is a collector of antique musical instruments whose origin and blended influences lie in the ancient cultures of both Europe and South America – and what a range of instruments!
From South America we had: cow bells, pan-pipes, tarkas, tamboriles, rainstick and bombos (a much better name for drums). From Europe: acoustic guitar, bells, shakers, music box, castagnettes, metronome and harmonium. From Asia: singing bowl, meditation bells and ukulele. From Africa: darbuke and calimba. There were more and as Sofia sampled each in turn, audience reaction moved from curiosity to mild bewilderment and then on to the confidence to have a go. The initial result sounded like a creche full of five-year-olds but stronger patterns began to emerge. For instance, our well-travelled John Walshe did so well on the pan pipes that Sofia immediately upgraded him to the charango – a stringed instrument which he mastered in jig time. So, we had musical history, geography, culture and then music curated in some style by the accomplished Sofia.
The bar was now set very high and the buzz around the room was such that the next act had to be something very special and that’s exactly what it turned out to be. After our musical trip around the globe, it was great to have the Kelly Brothers, John and Enda, from Bray to bring us home. These two brothers have music in their genes from their father, in their fingertips through their two acoustic guitars and in their souls, singing in close harmony as they reflected both the loves and losses in their own lives and indeed in all of ours.
You’ve heard of the Everly Brothers, well on that night we heard the Everly Brothers scaling the heights with songs like Bye-bye Love and There Goes my Baby. The songs of John and Enda lulled us along in perfect harmony. Was that Roy Orbison slinking across towards the bar? I could have sworn it was! “Another pint please, Ravi”. Oh, hang on! Here come the Bee Gees. Now, will the lads hit the high falsetto note? Yes, they’ve cleared it. Beautiful. After about ten songs and two encores,the Kellys decide to close with the self-penned, The Rest of our Time. Lads, you were brill!
